Unofficial news and tips about Google

September 2, 2011

Google Desktop Will Be Discontinued

One year ago, I wondered why Google Desktop is still available for download. Most operating systems include desktop search features and have support for gadgets, one of Google Desktop's built-in gadgets was broken and Google was supposed to encourage people to upload their files to online services like Google Drive Google Docs.

Desktop has been used by tens of millions of people and we've been humbled by its usage and great user feedback. However, over the past seven years we've also witnessed some big changes in how users store and access their own data, with many moving to web-based applications. There has been a significant shift from local to cloud-based storage and computing, as well as integration of Google Desktop functionality (like local search) into most modern operating systems. This is a positive development for users and we’re excited that most people now have instant access to their personal information. As such, we'll be discontinuing support for Google Desktop, including all of the associated APIs, services, plugins and gadgets.

As of September 14, Google Desktop will no longer be available for download, and existing installations will not be updated to include new features or fixes.

Google Desktop showed that it's possible to merge two completely different search features: a Web search engine and a tool for searching the documents from your computer. Showing an OneBox with results from your own computer surprised many users, who wondered whether Google uploaded all their documents to index them. Obviously, this wasn't true, but the result was impressive. It's strange to see that Google doesn't offer an OneBox with search results from Google Docs, Picasa Web Albums, Gmail and other services that store your data.

Google Desktop's original codename was "Total Recall". Niniane Wang, a former Google engineer who worked on Google Desktop Search, has some great stories from the first year of developing the software. "Our team consisted of five engineers. We were a close-knit bunch. In the first 3 months, we hashed out what we would build, wrote 13 design docs, and implemented most of the features of the product. It was one of the most productive 3 months of my career."

Another Google product that will disappear is Google Pack, a collection of software recommended by Google. "Google Pack was introduced in 2005 to make it easy to download and install a package of Google and third-party applications that helped users get the most out of their computers. Google Pack was responsible for fueling 100s of millions of software downloads. A lot has changed in the last six years. Virtually all new applications and services are now on the web."

In fact, the list of products that will be closed is impressive: Aardvark, Fast Flip, Image Labeler, Google Notebook (all the notes will be exported to Google Docs), Sidewiki, Subscribed Link. There's a lot of cruft that needs to be removed and many of the things that made the old Google tick will disappear. It's the beginning of a new era for Google and the past has to be left behind to create a better future. Most likely, in a few months you'll realize that Google is a completely different company and Google+ is a lot more than just the name of a service. It's the new iGoogle, the new Google Labs, the new Google Desktop, the new Google Pack - the platform that will include Google's most interesting apps, will aggregate all your data and make it more useful with the help of your friends. It takes some getting used to.

If you have Windows Server 2008 R1 or R2, or Window Vista/7 clients on your computer.... then I am sure that they work great... but if you had Google Desktop, but had to have your hard drive reformatted and now have only Windows XP... I miss Google Desktop so that I can search my networked drives...

I will miss Desktop for one particular reason - that the 'Google Desktop Email Gadget' notifies the arrival of new gmail at all times - while other similar gadgets only function while logged in to gmail. Or is there some Chrome extension that does provide gmail alerts when not logged-in?

in recent week, i found out that Google is really put a great emphasis in Google plus.. maybe this is their next ultimate apps... i bet Facebook will had a hard competition now... happy to know that finally Google realize the important of social network.. :-)

Still use it today and am ticked that it is no longer available. Despiter all their protestations to the contrary, business users deal with old fashioned local data and MSft's horrible search capabilities. Frankly MSft may have greatly improved their search but I would never know because I quit using it the second I could use Google Desktop. I wish Google nothing but the worst. The best search engine in the world and they're ashamed of their dominance in search because it isn't "Facebooky" enough.

That's sad news. :-( I was amazed when I discovered Google Desktop years ago. It's been fantastic find all my documents and e-mail (even deleted ones) at "Google Speed". But thing started going bad with Outlook 2007, not compatible with Google Desktop.

Even in Windows 7, the search feature is not as powerful and fast as Google Desktop. Rest in peace!

I moved to Orange Desktop Search from Orange UK which is a free search tool based on the non-free Copernic Desktop Search Professional. I use it mainly for mails (at work, with an Exchange server) but it also searches files quite well. Despite its name, you don't need to be an Orange user and best of all: it's ad free!

time marches on. most of these retired google products have been replaced/integrated with modern OS releases, it was nice to have back in the day and it was only on upgrade to Win7 i abandoned google desktop

The news "ticker' went south on me at the end of May and even when I reload "Desktop" it still just sits there saying "Loading". All that's left is the clock, the weather, and a scroll through "My Pictures". So it's still up but you actually can't use it.

End of May, News feed died. Re-install no help. Keeps saying "Loading". So, no you can't use it if the 'feed' is cut off. Unless you mean the clock and the local weather (which are the only things left that still do work).

The 'Google Notifier' has such a basic function in signalling only the arrival in gmail inbox (and not in other labels) of a new email as to be of litte use. The 'Google Desktop Email Gadget' on the other hand notifies the arrival of emails in the gmail inbox and all labels setup and the complete text is readable within the gadget. It would be very welcome if it could be also be made available as a Chrome Extension. But it is good news that anyone with Google Desktop already installed will not be deprived of its desktop search and its other gadgets such as the 'System Moniter'.

I am using CDS (Copernic Desktop Search) pro for some time now and I am very happy with it (2 millions files indexed) (contrary to Google desktop which was not indexing all pages of pdf files for instance !) (*). http://alternativeto.net/software/copernic-desktop-search-home/

(*)note: this is a little like the problems I have with google main searches (example: report filetype:pdf) which says that there are x millions results for your keywords but displays strangely only 1000 of them if you click on "next" several times !

I tried to use windows search but keep giong back to G Desktop since it is fast and accurate and useful. Iw is great for for searching across info types and seeing those together. I hope Google reconsiders. Add adds if that will fit it in model....

Microsoft search sucks. Windows 7 has a broken search system. I launch all my applications on my Mac and PC by either using spotlight or the start menu search. My Mac is fine, my PC often dosn't find the app... I need to go through the start menu or into the program files directly. Google Desktop just works, indexes everything. My files are in the cloud and some are stored locally. Rather than discontinuing such a great product I don't understand why Google Desktop couldn't be expanded to work with these cloud providers.

On another note, its one thing to discontinue a piece of software but to take down its download link? Google, if you really want to drop support for it that's fine but let those folks that are using it continue using it without support.

I use Google Desktop so I always know the date and can quickly and easily check other dates on the Calendar. I use the Scratch Pad and To Do Gadgets, the Wikipedia and even the Google search, but not for my desktop, but to quickly search the web for the correct spelling of drug names. I had uninstalled it because it was acting weird and was shocked to read it was no longer available for download. But I didn't give up and I did find a site where I was able to grab a copy. Whew!!

:-( so sad - why would you discontinue such a great program? - it is so much better than any of the other search tools. I found out by accident that it is discontinued, because I wanted to install it on my new Mac, to replace the spotlight function, and now it is gone.

What in the world were you thinking? I used a gadget to remind me to take a 5 minute break each hour, another to remind me to take a sip of water, another to have a full month calendar and upcoming events at a glance, the weather, quick notes, and task with sub-tasks.

I'm totally annoyed because Google itself recognized that millions were using it. Well, if it was such a "fun ride" and so many were using it, why not make it open source instead of just disappointing millions of people?

Don't delete your installer or app files! If businesses move from XP, then GD is redundant, however 75% of businesses are still running XP SP3 leaving these users out in the cold. IMHO. XP Desktop widgets are less then useful.

I've tried Copernic -twice. Google desktop is (was) better -and free! The search function in Win 7 is not worth even mentioning. And now Google is killing off Desktop- but acknowledging tens of millions use it???? Appararently Google has taken to consulting the Netflix/Quickster playbook.

Please bring it back... it was a lifesaver! More useful than any other app by any standard. The ability to search email (Outlook pst files), regular files, chat, gmail - all from one search box alone made it unique.

It has to be something other than the "cloud" crap Google is giving us.

You're right. It certainly does have to be something other than the "cloud" crap they're giving us.

We're taking what they say at face value, but with this many users not happy with the decision, one has to wonder.

Now. Why would the best search engine in the world stop a search facility saying that the new windows 7 search is better?

Personally, I don't think it's as much about the stopping of what is obviously a great product and service (I also use all the features of the sidebar as well as the search) but also the fact that is IS another product/service that Google has decided to stop (or change) against their users wishes.

This is not the first selfish decision they have made, and it certainly won't be the last (at the time of writing this, I have just found out that I am being forced to use the new gmail layout which, quite frankly, is hideous and there was nothing wrong with the old one!)

I used Google desktop for most of 2006 but was frustrated that its search terms do not support parenthesis. I switched to X1 from x1.com and never looked back. It is no longer free, but beyond a doubt it is the best $50 I ever spent. My original license still runs well on Windows 7, but their latest version is even better.

I can search 1,000,000 emails and documents and get answer in less than a second. It works on simple searches just like Google but also allows boolean algebra. For instance:

I can't believe they are killing GD! I got a new computer and now I don't have my google calendar!!! There are no other programs that link so I have no idea what our employees are doing! I could care less about the "cloud" we are not using it at work and if your company is like ours it takes a lot of money to change & with the economy we can not afford it!

I'm so sad that GD is going to be gone. I've used it countless times. I feel the same about iGoogle. I open to iGoogle every single morning and the new interface they are pushing is not clean, personalized, and organized. Perhaps they will integrate GD search features and allow page personalization and gadgets from iGoogle on their "new" interfaces. If not, then perhaps I'll take a closer look at competitor browsers and offerings.

This is a disaster. I use Google Desktop more than any other app except email. I have stopped trying to organize my files and mail because Google Desktop search made it unnecessary. What other search tool will search across your files, Outlook mail, internet mail (yahoo, gmail, etc), web history, deleted emails ... this just makes no sense to me! Windows search is total crap! I would happily pay to use Google Desktop if the decision was about money. Really disappointed.

Am gobsmacked that Google have discontinued Desktop. Fortunately I still have it installed. Along with Desktop there was a similar Google tool/button/icon thingey that I had on my Outlook Toolbar. This enabled a very quick search of emails alone. Eg, when trying to locate an email, just search for a few distinctive words you remember were in it and BINGO - found in a flash. Sure, you can use the full Desktop search but the dedicated Google email search was superb. Not like the installed 'Find' in Outlook. Infuriatingly slow. Only to be used in desperation. If anybody knows where to get Google's Desktop tool for Outlook, would be delighted to hear. Harley.

I've been aggitated that I was forced to have the little black Google Search on the desktop since I first noticed it . . . toyed with the idea to gt rid of the whole thing and the only reason I didn't was because I liked the weather, time, timers and alarms that I've grown to depend on . . . but that useless black search on it was annoying. Sorry they discontinued it for others' sake, but it's no big miss for me . . . it's still doing what I wanted it to do and still doing what I detested . . . I only hope that when it goes, it takes that blasted search box with it.

Hayley - if you have Google Desktop already installed (which btw is still working fine for me - even with office 2007) you can display the Google Desktop toolbar from within Outlook. In 2007 I go to the Tools menu and then Customize. A dialog box should appear allowing you to display or hide any built in or custom toolbars. Google Desktop should be listed for selection. Cheers - Andy

Does anyone know of good gadget alternatives for GG-weather and GG-calendar for those of us still using XP? Google Gadget Weather was always more accurate than our local met-office reports! I'd love to know where they got their weather feed from.

To me it's clear that Google could not possibly provide something as intrinsic as search technology to the open source community. So that is clearly out. I just wonder why Google would give up this mind share and desktop space unless it has significant plans to redirect us to something else. I also wonder why the two could not co-exist until the 'new' organically took over the 'old'.

I cannot understand why Google would completely abandon such a great program which reinforces the brand and is used and appreciated by so many people without any competition or any other Google product avaialble.

Oh no! I used desktop every day - and don't know how I'm going to function without it. My business doesn't have the option of moving files to the cloud, and my operating system doesn't have anything comparable.

Ditto to all the above...Google Desktop is probably my favorite Google product, saves me TONS of time, is so easy and convenient, and I haven't found anything comparable. My memory is useless, and my file organization instincts change from day to day, so although I may name and store a file in a way that makes sense at the time, weeks or even days later, I can't find it! Google Desktop eliminates all the frustration. Being able to search local drives the way I search the Web is fantastic.

I especially like the way you can customize it to only search where you want to, because at work we have a network with many mapped drives, and I need to be able to search only the folders with current or archived files--not tons of irrelevant junk. I have rescued people so many times, with just a few minutes of searching for an old or lost file. Nothing built into Windows even comes close...and I haven't looked for alternatives to Google Desktop because it works so well, why would I bother!?

I love the sidebar and use it constantly. I'm an experienced computer user (25 years), although not very geeky or technical, and I cannot comprehend the reasons given for discontinuing the product. I use Win7 at work and have tried its search feature, but was very unimpressed. Nothing about my computer habits has changed recently, or enough to make Google Desktop less useful or needed. I can't believe I'm so unusual that I'm now a tiny minority not worth serving!

Oh well, as I've commented above, I can still find the installation file online, and will not be losing that until I discover that I don't need a good search program any more. Hard to imagine, but...possible, of course! It certainly won't be because my memory starts working better. =P

@Adelson: What do you mean - "But thing started going bad with Outlook 2007, not compatible with Google Desktop."?

I've just noticed that after Windows 7 64 bits installation I am not able to force Google Desktop to display well known Outlook search toolbar in my Outlook 2007 :(I've tried to reinstall Google Desktop many times but I still have no Google Desktop outlook toolbar :(

My problem was that after installing GDS I had no (my favorite) GDS toolbar in my Outlook.

The problem was that during GDS installation I checked out the following feature "Enables additional features by using Google Desktop's index" (or something similar) because I was sure that this feature is related to GMail integration and has nothing to do with Outlook GDS toolbar.But when I turned this feature on and after restarting my Outlook my GDS toolbar is now available in my Outlook again! :)

Same here.Windows search is orders of magnitude slower.Google has a well established history of changing or removing good products and angering their user base.I suspect eventually they will do something severe enough that they lose a good portion of their users.

The loss of Google Desktop Search is making me very wary of upgrading to Win7 from my trusty old XP box. (I use Win7 at home but rarely have to search for things as deeply as I do at work.) So what is the best alternative for a long-time Google Desktop Search user finally switching to Windows 7? I am considering Agent Ransack, FileSearchEX, Everything, and Copernic Desktop Search. Can I make do with Windows 7 Search if I set it to index everything and use custom search filters? Or should I just install my old version of Google Desktop even though it's no longer supported?

Very disappointed with Google' decision to pull Google Desktop.Not only was it useful for searching but some of the Google Apps are very useful and I use them alot eg. checking stock quotes, rss news articles, scratch pad, visible Calendar etc provided quick reference on the desktop without having to log into a website for these features.I think their decision is very misguided and I hope they reverse this decision.

Just bring it back, Google! You have a lot of upset users! Someone somewhere suggested MSNs' desktop which I installed and as usual with anything that is MSN, it's overly complicated, overly junky and basically useless. I mainly use it for news and mail...will try another site that was mentioned.

At this point, I have my feeds, search box and modem info back, but it will not allow me to add gadgets even if they are Google. This is causing a severe withdrawal and anxiety, so I'd appreciate Googles' reversal of this decision!

MANLYN 04.06.2012 What a terrible shame to stop GOOGLE DESTOP, a product with many functions I used everyday. GOOGLE's idea of FUN seems to be to stop products that work great. Here are a few: Google Screensaver, Google Quick Search Box. Google Pack, and now Google Desktop. Just wish there was an alternative. GOOGLE is becoming allpowerful and arrogant, smething Microsoft was accused of.NOPE. Manlyn

This is just pathetic.. The biggest help that Google Desktop used to do was to index and search emails on my Outlook. The inbuilt search features on the Outlook are sooooo slow. Really Very SAD that Google has decided to take this step.

If somebody is listening at Google, please rethink on this decision. It is not outdated yet and we really need it.

I cannot find on this blog anything that resembles feedback saying: "I am so pleased that the hated Google Desktop has been discontinued - it was useless clutter and it's lovely to see the back of it."

However, I can find more than a few people (including me) who are bitter and angry that a feature they loved has been removed.

Will Google understand that this large sample tells anyone with half a brain cell exactly how the vast majority of users feel?

I need my realistic 3D-like Weather pictures of the Sun, clouds, rain et cetera of the Hawaiian Islands in the Sidebar - to keep me a happy Dreamer at work...Now, [as of August 24th. 2012] all I have showing is just a faded orange sun icon with white letters spelling "Not Connected" next to it...That Sux Big Tym Googoo Goobers... Make a Smart Business Move and TURN IT BACK ON ! ! !

I guess this is finally it for the sidebar.I uninstalled it a week ago and waited until today to reinstall it but sadly it still refuses to connect.Huston we don't have ignition.This is the second time over the years one of my much relied upon Google apps has been unceremoniously dumped into the garbage heap of old code."Any old iron!?" Once upon a time I happily searched the net with my trusty Google Desk Bar at my side - snugly ensconced in the task bar.As with Desktop the Bar was much prized by folks in the know and was also sadly missed.Now this.Oh Google *heavy sigh* How could you?

I used to use Desktop Search, Web Clips, News, Photos, YouTube, Scratch Pad, To Do, Analog Clock, & Weather; all of which still work except Weather which I had to replace with Windows Weather gadget. So there has been practically no impact of Google withdrawing support for Google Desktop.

Well, whatever you say, the Win 7 search is a mess. It take a lot to me to find what I was used to find in few seconds by Google Desktop. I do not know WHO in your company said that Goggle Desktop is no more necessary because native search engines in operating systems are mature, but he is totally crazy!